Definition: "Spam" is the name of a canned meat product that was first sold by the Hormel Foods Corporation in 1937. Because it was launched at the end of the Great Depression, and is generally less expensive than other meats, Spam is often associated with times of economic hardship.
"Spam" is also the label that is given to unsolicited and unwanted electronic communications delivered via e-mail, blog postings, and newsgroups. The term is applied loosely, but most often refers to commercial messages delivered in bulk, similar to "junk mail" advertising delivered by the postal service.
The connection between Spam meat, and spam communication is considered to be a Monthy Python skit in which Vikings in a diner start singing the word "spam" repeatedly in a song, drowning out all other conversation. The association between the "spam" song and "spam" communications is that they are both intrusive, unwanted, and repeat to the point of great annoyance.
Also Known As: junk e-mail; Something Posing As Meat; Stuff, Pork and Ham; Spare Parts Animal Meat
Common Misspellings: spm, spamm, spaam, spame
Examples: When baby boomers think of "spam," they think of the low-priced meat in a can that people eat in tough economic times. Generation X and Y only know "spam" as the unwanted communication in their e-mail box and on their blogs.
